History of the European Union

9th May 1950.
Robert Schuman proposed the idea of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), later established by the Treaty of Paris (April 1951). Schuman's declaration was inspired by Jean Monnet's idea of 'building Europe' step by step, like a builder working on a house. Six States laid the foundations: Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and The Netherlands. The ECSC was given a 'parliamentary assembly', which met for the first time in September 1952 in Strasbourg.

25th March 1957.
The six founding States created the European Economic Community (EEC) and the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom), through the Treaty of Rome (1957). The European Parliament then numbered 142 Members delegated by their national parliaments.

January 1973.
The Europe of the Six became the Europe of the Nine with the accession of Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom. The European Parliament increased in size to 198 Members.

June 1979.
As provided in the Treaties of Rome, the European Parliament was at last elected by direct universal suffrage. The 410 Members elected in the nine Member States met in the new Chamber in the Palais de l'Europe in Strasbourg in July 1979.

January 1981.
Greece became the Community's 10th Member State. The arrival of the Greeks increased the number of Members of the European Parliament to 434.

June 1984.
Second European Parliament elections by direct universal suffrage.

January 1986.
Accession of Spain and Portugal to the European Community. The European Parliament now had 518 Members

1986.
Signature of the Single European Act - a further step towards European union. It improved procedures and broadened the scope of the Treaty, introducing proper legislative co-operation between Parliament and the Council. With this new Treaty the Twelve committed themselves to creating, by 31 December 1992 at the latest, a unified market with free movement of persons, capital, goods and services.

June 1989.
Third European Parliament elections by direct universal suffrage.

November 1990.
First meeting in Rome of the 'Parliamentary Assizes' bringing together representatives of the European Parliament and the 12 national parliaments.

December 1991.
At Maastricht, the European Council negotiated the Treaty on European Union, signed in February 1992. It conferred important new powers on the European Parliament, including codecision-making on legislation (Parliament makes decisions on an equal footing with the Council in certain major areas) and the appointment of a European Ombudsman.

1st November 1993.
After ratification by the Member States, the Treaty on European Union came into force.

June 1994.
Fourth European Parliament elections by direct universal suffrage. The number of Members rose to 567 to take account of German unification.

3rd January 1995.
Accession of Austria, Finland and Sweden. The European Parliament now has 626 Members.

Today.
The European Parliament represents the people of the European Union, some 370 million European citizens.

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